Biological Sciences

Objectives

Foster closer collegial relationships and enhance communication among institutions, helping to facilitate greater integration within the transfer system in the field/discipline of Biological Sciences. At the request of Council, to provide recommendations or specific deliverables related to transfer in the discipline, including:

• Providing a forum for exchanging information and enhancing collaboration and coordination among institutions that provide instruction in Biological Sciences
• Promoting course and program equivalency in the fields of Biological Sciences where appropriate
• Address admissions issues related to secondary to post secondary articulation where appropriate
• Clarifying differences and similarities of various post-secondary institution Biological Sciences programs to assist students in planning their course of studies
• Assist in developing transfer agreements between institutions delivering Biological Sciences programs

Membership/Representation

An interim chair will be selected / nominated to assist the Articulation Sub-committee (ASC) in determining the appropriate institutions and organizations to be invited to participate on the committee. The ongoing committee chair and a vice chair will be determined by vote at the inaugural meeting.

Institutions that offer instruction in the field of Biological Sciences are encouraged to send one representative to sit on the committee. Committee members should be competent in the discipline and be familiar with issues related to transfer. Committee members should identify an alternate delegate to act on their behalf when the member is unavailable.

Institutions (one representative per)

1. Concordia University of Edmonton
2. Grande Prairie Regional College
3. Grant MacEwan University
4. Keyano College
5. Lakeland College
6. Medicine Hat College
7. Mount Royal University
8. Red Deer College
9. St. Mary's University College
10. The King's University College
11. University of Alberta
12. University of Calgary
13. University of Lethbridge

Other professional, accrediting or representative bodies may be invited to attend to provide their organization perspective (if applicable).

Professional/Accrediting /Representative bodies (one representative)

1. Alberta Society of Professional Biologists (ASPB)

Government of Alberta (GOA)

It is recommended that an Alberta Education representative attend, where appropriate, to ensure issues related to secondary to post secondary admission are addressed. (The committee may also invite staff from other GOA ministries as appropriate to participate in or observe meetings on an ongoing or periodic basis.)

Alberta Education

Other GOA Ministry representative(s) (if applicable)

1. Alberta Council on Admissions & Transfer (AE)

Committee members will be requested to sit for 3 years.

Meetings/Costs

Institutions must pay for their representatives to attend meetings.

The ACAT Secretariat, in conjunction with the ASC, will organize the inaugural meeting and provide the meeting venue. Subsequent committee meetings will be hosted by a member institution. The committee will hold a minimum of one meeting(s) per year.

Roles and Responsibilities

Chair

• Committee chairs will be elected at the inaugural meeting and, to ensure continuity, will sit for 3 years
• Will serve as the contact point for the ACAT Secretariat
• Will canvass committee members for agenda items
• Will organize the ongoing meeting(s) including arranging a venue and hosting
• Will select a Recorder for committee meetings
• Ensure appropriate guests/stakeholders attend meetings (i.e. appropriate ministry staff or professional bodies)
• Ensure minutes are circulated amongst committee members and provided to the ACAT Secretariat
• Ensure any issues, recommendations or questions to be addressed by the Council are relayed to the ACAT Secretariat.

Vice Chair

• Committee vice chairs will be elected at the inaugural meeting and will sit for 3 years to ensure continuity
• Will serve as an alternate contact point for the ACAT Secretariat
• Will assume the chair’s duties when the chair is unavailable.

Committee members

• Attend scheduled articulation meetings (inform Chair if unable to attend and provide a delegate)
• Ensure changes to representation are communicated to the Chair
• Provide potential agenda items to Chair prior to committee meeting
• Circulate minutes amongst colleagues, including their delegate and administrators at their institution

Delegates

• Attend scheduled meetings on behalf of a committee member when they are unable to attend

Recorder

• Take meeting minutes
• Vet minutes through the committee chair and distribute to committee members upon their approval

ACAT

• Where appropriate, recruit interim Chair
• Consider recommendations and address issues identified by the Articulation Sub-committee and/or a specific articulation committee
• Communicate and provide direction where specific ministry requests are concerned

ACAT Secretariat

• Where appropriate, recruit interim Chair
• Work with interim Chair in identifying institutions and stakeholders to be invited to sit as members
• For inaugural meeting only, develop agenda, arrange venue and take minutes
• Ensure recommendations and issues identified by the committee are communicated to Council
• Monitor membership terms, identify expiring members and notify Chair when new member recruitment is required

Accounting/Reporting

ACAT Secretariat

• The Secretariat will relay issues which require Council’s attention
• Maintain Sub-committee records (meeting minutes/membership)
• Maintain membership list, including term length
• Communicate Council decisions related to recommendations or issues identified by the Committee to the member institutions of the Alberta Transfer system and the Sub-committee
• Where applicable, post articulation reports on ACAT website

ACAT

• Will address recommendations and issues identified by the Sub-committee and/or a specific articulation committee
• Provide recommendations to the Minister as appropriate.

Articulation Sub-committee Responsibilities/Accounting/Reporting

• Develop and revise, as necessary, effective practices for articulation
• Assess the need for articulation in a discipline
• Create and dissolve articulation committee as needed
• Assist in the selection of interim Chairs, institutional representatives and other professional/representative bodies related to the discipline
• Is accountable to the Council and reports through the ACAT Secretariat
• Accountability is demonstrated through the provision of meeting minutes to the ACAT Secretariat in a timely fashion
• Providing the ACAT Secretariat current contact information related to the chair and committee members

Download the committee's Terms of Reference

Meeting Minutes

• Biological Sciences Articulation Committee Minutes – May 9, 2016
• Biological Sciences Articulation Meeting Minutes – May 11, 2015
• Biological Sciences Articulation Meeting Minutes – May 2, 2013
• Biological Sciences Articulation Meeting Minutes – February 18, 2011